![]() These early SR were built between VIN # 2Y85Z105844 and 2Y85Z114640 with the first one built on September 13, 1961. According to William Wonders book there were 558 Sports roadsters built that carried the 2Y85Z VIN and 76A body code. One thing you can do is see what the Thunderbird registry has to say about the vin and its history. You obviously have to be careful on these cars when considering them. Not all the 62's had the turning weights in them only the early ones and I don't know if anyone knows exactly when that change was made. So for a 62 with a 85Z it would have to be a very early build date. It appears to have undergone an outstanding and expensive restoration and would likely be welcomed at any concours d’ elegance.īut the real thrill would simply be cruising down the highway on a summer day with the Beach Boys’ tunes filling the air, accompanied by the sounds of that big V8.With the exception of the earliest 1962 SR the vin should have been an "89" and the body type on the door tag a 76B. The car’s complete history is not known, but a full research would not be that difficult. ![]() The seller describes this car as one of just 40 documented M-Code Thunderbirds still on the road. Between 19, only 119 examples of this extreme ‘Bird were produced. This engine was equipped with three two-barrel Holley carburetors and produced a whopping 340 horsepower. The rarest examples of the Roadster were powered by the optional “M-Code” upgraded version of the 390 V8, such as the one now offered on eBay. This gave the T-Bird the appearance of a European two-seat roadster.Īccording to records, 78,011 Thunderbirds were produced during 1962 with 1,427 coming from the factory as Sports Roadsters. Even more attractive, but rather costly, was the Sports Roadster package that added 48-spoke Kelsey-Hayes designed wire wheels and a fiberglass tonneau cover over the rear seats. From an appearance standpoint, buyers could add a Landau-style vinyl roof with S-shaped bars on the large rear pillars. The option list was long with items like air conditioning, power windows and seats, AM radio, and fender skirts.Īside from some subtle trim changes for 1962, the sheetmetal remained the same, but there were several big additions for this model year. The standard drivetrain in 1961 was a 300-horsepower, 390 cubic-inch V8 coupled to a three-speed automatic transmission. Another feature was the first application of the “floating” rear-view mirror that attached directly to the windshield. ![]() With a starting price of $4,639, the new Thunderbird was innovative beginning with Ford’s unique “Swing Away” steering wheel which, with the transmission in the park position, would slide 18-inches to the right to allow the driver a comfortable way to climb in and out. The new model was highly marketed, which included serving as the Indy 500 pace car and being prominently featured in President John F. However, sales did drop from a high of 92,8 to a little over 73,000 in 1961-of which 10,615 were convertibles. In 1961, Ford introduced a totally restyled Thunderbird to replace the surprisingly successful second-generation “Square-Bird.” The space age had taken off, and the new T-Bird featured a crisp new rocket-like appearance.
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